Thomas R. Kline School of Law

The Thomas R. Kline School of Law was established in 2006, and was built on the strengths of Drexel University, including experiential education and the fields of engineering, science, business, and health care.

The School offers the Juris Doctor (JD) degree, which has been designed to prepare law students for the challenges of 21st-century practice. Students can elect to fulfill concentrations in business and entrepreneurship law, health law, intellectual property law, and criminal law. The School also offers a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program for individuals in other disciplines and professions who would benefit from focused legal knowledge in their field, and a Master of Laws (LLM) in American Legal Practice for internationally trained attorneys.

Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the Thomas R. Kline School of Law include knowledge of the law, training in practical skills, and commitment to professionalism. The Juris Doctor (JD) degree program offers a standard law school curriculum, to ensure that its graduates are well-equipped to pass the bar examination upon graduation and to be competent legal professionals, regardless of their particular practice areas. Students may complete the JD on a full-time basis in either two or three years.

The Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program and associated certificates, designed for individuals who are not seeking to become attorneys, are intended to develop and improve career-related skills through the study of the legal system, legal writing, law, regulation, and policy.

The Master of Laws (LLM) in American Legal Practice allows for a flexible curriculum or specialized tracks to target the student's goals for US practice or legal knowledge. LLM students can take advantage of experiential learning opportunities as well as courses designed to develop proficiency in English legal vocabulary.

Accreditation

The Juris Doctor program at the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law is fully accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). The ABA does not offer accreditation to non-JD programs, but has acquiesced to the Master of Laws, Master of Legal Studies, and certificate programs offered by the Thomas R. Kline School of Law.

Certificates

Admissions Requirements

Admission to the Thomas R. Kline School of Law is determined using a variety of factors evaluated by the law admissions committee. For Juris Doctor (JD) candidates, the committee evaluates the student’s LSAT score, academic record (including graduate degrees), work and volunteer experience, and personal background.

a personal statement - essay discussing motivation for attending law school and how the Thomas R. Kline School of Law will help the applicant achieve his or her goals.

LSDAS registration - all applicants, including those educated abroad, are required to register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). The LSDAS will provide Drexel University with a report containing information important in the admission process.

Visit the Law School Admission Council Website at www.lsac.org for more information and to register.

The report includes an undergraduate academic summary; undergraduate, graduate and law/professional school transcripts; LSAT scores; and letters of recommendation (at least two) processed by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

Additionally, the Thomas R. Kline School of Law utilizes space in the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships and the Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building. The entire area shares Drexel's campus-wide wireless access to the internet, and all classrooms include data ports for each student and high-tech audio/visual resources. The law building is located on Market Street, between 33rd and 34th Streets. It is also a half-block from both the Market-Frankford elevated subway line (serving Center City and the Northeast), as well as the subway-surface lines (serving the City's western suburbs), making the law school convenient to where students will live and to the courts and co-op placements in the downtown legal district.

Writing-intensive Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

For additional information, and an up-to-date list of the writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Drexel University Writing Center page